Teenager Who Rescued Bumblebee Adopts It As Her Pet After It Refused To Leave Her Side

Lacey Shillinglaw, 13, saw the large bumblebee lying in the road and noticed it had a crumpled wing. She tried to place the bee in a safer spot, moving it over to some flowers in a nearby park, but found it kept buzzing back to her.

After an hour, Lacey eventually gave up and headed home with the bee perched on her shoulder - and ever since, the friendly insect has been by her side, despite repeated attempts to move it outside.

The bee, who Lacey named Betty, is now always by her side in the house, and even sleeps on her bedside table.

It has also followed her to the shops and on a family trip to the bowling alley.

"I thought she would fly off on the first day but she just never did.

"I'm so happy and I just love spending my time with her.

"She's so fluffy and I love our friendship."

Betty first hitched a ride with Lacey when she was out with her mum, Laura Pashley, 35, on 7 August.

As they walked home, Betty perched herself on Lacey's glasses as she went into the shop to buy some milk.

The teen feeds her pet sugar water, honey, strawberry jam and even Haribo Tangfastics - saying the bee also enjoys sharing Jammie Dodgers with her, eating the middle while Lacey nibbles on the biscuit edges.

Lacey also takes Betty into the garden to feed on flower nectar, but always finds the creature follows her back into the house.

During the day, the bee tends to nestle on the back of Lacey's neck or inside her sleeve, in between buzzes around the living room.

One day, she even went bowling with Lacey and 14 other members of her family, staying on her friend throughout both games, which lasted two-and-a-half hours.

At night, she's tucked up in a little pot beside Lacey's bed, where she remains until morning - even though there is no lid.

While Betty is clearly a huge fan of Lacey, the bee stays away from the rest of the family - car salesman dad Lee Pashley, 35, and siblings Vinnie Pashley, nine, and Betsey-blu Pashley, five.

Mum Laura, who makes edible flower bouquets, said: "She absolutely loves her.

"It's completely lovely and also bonkers.

"Betty wanders all over her. including her face, and her glasses, and even in between her toes.

"She's on her 90 percent of the time during the day. It's so beautiful - just gorgeous.

"I can't believe Lacey isn't scared.

"Bumblebees sting, and like wasps, they can repeatedly sting you without being hurt or dying like honeybees do.

"Lacey's hair is down to her bum, and Betty climbs in it like some kind of jungle.

"We have all the doors open a lot and she's just never gone - I haven't the foggiest why."